All Chapters of Revenge: Rising Beyond the Tempest : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

The grand lobby of SkyRock Hotel shimmered with polished marble floors and golden chandeliers that bathed the space in warm light. For Celine, though, the glow felt hostile, a mirror reflecting her scars and humiliation. She clung to the edges of her torn gown, her eyes downcast as she followed Bashiru to the reception desk.“Good evening,” Bashiru said firmly. “We need a room.”The lady behind the counter barely raised her head. Her eyes shifted from Bashiru to Celine, narrowing with a mixture of disgust and mockery. “For both of you… or for her?” she asked, her tone drenched in scorn.“For her,” Bashiru replied curtly.The lady smirked faintly, her painted lips curling as she tapped her nails against the desk. “I’m sorry, sir, our rooms are filled up.” With that, she looked away, flipping a register open, pretending to be busy.Bashiru’s face hardened. He turned sharply toward Celine, then back to the lady. His blood boiled.“You mean to tell me,” he barked, his voice echoing thr

About twenty minutes later the hotel room door opened again and Adam nearly fell back inside because he had been leaning against it while pleading for Celine to open so they could talk. She remained motionless for a long breath, then folded her arms and returned to the couch, sitting as if distance would harden her into something safe. Adam came in softly and closed the door, his shoulders low as though every inch of the room weighed on him.He stood a moment, hands by his sides, then moved forward and knelt before her. “Celine,” he said, voice thin and raw, “I am sorry. I am sorry for neglecting you, for not standing up when you needed me. I should have defended you.” His words trembled because each one carried the weight of error. He reached toward her and she shifted away, but he spoke on, “I will find out who sent that thug. I will find them. I will not let it rest.”Celine looked at him, her face both exhausted and furious. The memory of being beaten, the sight of blood, the s

Celine's POVThe thought of forgiving Adam was like a heavy stone hung around my neck, choking me slowly, impossible to swallow. Every time I tried to imagine it, my chest tightened, and my heart rebelled against the idea.Five years ago, back when our love was still fresh and pure, Adam and I had talked about how many children we wanted. He wanted four and all boys. I had laughed so hard, almost falling off the chair. “Four boys?” I asked him, still laughing. “Are you starting a football team?”He had smiled that mischievous smile that once made my heart flutter. “Why not? The Brooks dynasty must have heirs.”I shook my head back then, laughing still. “Two is enough. One boy, one girl. Balanced life. You can’t dump four pregnancies on one person, Adam.”We’d laughed together that day, long and loud. Those were the days when love was easy — when we didn’t need to think about betrayal or power or family names. But now, that laughter echoed only as pain, haunting me with the memory

Adam rushed into the house, his breath ragged, his shirt damp with sweat. His heart thumped so hard it echoed in his ears. Evelyn, who was seated on the couch watching television, jumped at the sight of him bursting through the door like a hunted man.“Adam?” she called, alarmed, rising to her feet. “Are you okay?”He didn’t respond. He stood in the middle of the living room panting, his face pale, his eyes wide with confusion and fear. Evelyn’s anxiety grew. She hurried to the window, peering through the curtains to see if someone was chasing him. “What is it? Talk to me!” she demanded.Adam’s voice came out low and broken. “Mum… what did you give me? What did you make me do?”Evelyn froze, slowly turning to face him. “What are you talking about?”He took a step forward, his eyes red. “That powder, the thing you said would only make her forget. You lied to me! You made me kill her!”Evelyn blinked, startled by the outburst, but quickly straightened her shoulders. “Kill who?”“Celi

They arrived at the SkyRock Hotel minutes later. The night was still, the bright lights of the hotel glimmering faintly against the dark sky. Adam parked the car quietly at the far end of the parking lot and turned off the engine. He leaned back on the seat, rubbing his palms nervously against his knees.“So, what now, detective Barbra?” he asked with a shaky voice, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.From the back seat, Mia, his assistant, leaned forward. “Um… sir, what’s going on? Why are we here?” Her tone was confused but soft, the kind that carried obedience yet begged for answers.Adam turned his head slightly to face her. “Mia, just give us a minute,” he said calmly. “Wait outside the car.”She looked puzzled but obeyed. When she stepped out, Barbra immediately turned to Adam, her eyes gleaming with a sense of urgency.“Listen,” she said quickly, “your assistant has to go in there and request for that same room Celine stayed in.”Adam frowned deeply. “What? Have you g